The present invention relates to a one-step process for manufacturing selectively higher N-acyl .alpha.-amino acids by reaction of a mono-olefinic compound with carbon monoxide, hydrogen and an amide.
It is highly advantageous to manufacture higher N-acyl .alpha.-amino acids in one step, particularly those having the amino acid grouping in terminal position. These products are not only precursors of amino acids, since they can be converted to amino acids by hydrolysis but they are also bases for industrial and medicinal products.
Certain compounds of the acetylamino tetradecanoic acid type are anti-carcinogenic agents. The acetylated amino acids increase the softening properties of soaps, i.e. they decrease their alkalinity. The sodium salts of long chain N-acyl amino acids have anticorrosion properties with respect to steels. Certain esters of acylamino acids have herbicidal properties. Above all, the esters and sodium salts of the N-acyl amino acids have known detergent properties. They can be used for making microemulsions, which can be used, for example, in secondary or tertiary oil recovery. Gel properties may be obtained by esterification or acylation of amino acids with a second carboxylic group, and the resultant materials are useful for shampoos, paints or for recovering oil from polluted waters. Certain N-acyl amino acids are metal chelatants. There are thus many possible uses, although not widespread up to now, since the manufacturing price of higher amino acids having the amino acids group in terminal position was up to now relatively high. It was also difficult to obtain these amino acids, particularly those having a long straight chain.